SHTF Survival Gear List

dcmdon · Post by **dcmdon** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 6:35 pm

If the SHTF, I'd be in my wife's 4wd Volvo wagon pulling my 10 x 5 foot trailer behind.

While this is not so bad, its certainly better to have everything inside.

To that end, I got a chance to check out one of my ffriends new work trucks today. Its one of those new Freightliner euro style tall but narrow vans. It has a 5 cylinder Mercedes diesel in it and it is HUGE inside.

He's currently getting better than 20 mpg with it.

So I'm thinking that its more important that a BOV:
1) be a diesel. In a true SHTF scenario you can pull up to any house with an oil furnace (about 80% in New England) and pump out enough home heating oil to drive 2000 miles.
2) be big inside so everhting is protected and concealed from prying eyes.
3) get decent fuel economy.

B-Mac · Post by **B-Mac** » Sat Jan 31, 2009 7:20 pm

I wasn't talking about all the s--t you listed dcmdon, I was talking about all the s--t at the top of the page... this guy better get some stiffer leaf springs in his jeep...

ZA206 · Post by **ZA206** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:31 pm

cqbdoc10 wrote: Next, you need a water filter. Water (if drunk in proper quantities to avoid dehydration) will only last so long, and one can only carry so much. You should always have means to appropriately sterilize water enough for consumption. I recommend the SteriPEN.

I reccomend NOT getting a SteriPEN. They won't filter anything out of the water, they will only kill stuff in it. They are also freaking battery hogs. I tried using one on the side of a mountain in Colorado while camping during my yearly elk bow hunt. I burned through 24 AA batteries in three days.

That's bullshit IMO.

I got the new MSR Hyperflo carbon fiber filter and it's as small, and lighter (no batteries) and is a HELL of alot faster and is field serviceable & field cleanable (no tools required). It can also filter ALOT of water quickly, so if you are trying to get enough water for the FAMILY, this is the only way to go. I used the new MSR last year in Colorado, while on the side of a different mountain, and it was the cat's ass.

-ZA

lawless · Post by **lawless** » Tue Mar 10, 2009 11:45 pm

The person who did knows what hes talking about I assure you. Your water can taste like s--t and still work. I would rather have dirty looking water, than have clean water that could kill me. Your MSR filter may get bacterial stuff, but if your reason for your SHTF kit is in part, viral infection, youre fucked. A sterilizer would be alot higher on my list than a cleaner. Now if you have a better sterilizer to suggest, Im all ears.

Brian HHI 7265 · Post by **Brian HHI 7265** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 1:06 am

[quote="dcmdon"]
In a true SHTF scenario you can pull up to any house with an oil furnace quote]

Umm, you might want to rethink those plans. I know one house with an oil furnace that if you did that you'd get shot and I'd keep the rig and gear. Many homes in rural Maine have firearms. That practice might be a very dangerous thing to count on. But fuel oil will burn in a diesel just fine.

dcmdon · Post by **dcmdon** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:18 am

Brian,

I'm talking about a situation where everyone is leaving their homes. You'd obviously select a home that was no longer occupied.

And if you want to make the assumption that all homes are occupied, then I could pull up to a business and pump the home heating oil.

The bottom line is that if your BOV runs on diesel, there is fuel all around you.

Don

jreinke · Post by **jreinke** » Sun May 31, 2009 8:24 am

I was thinking the other day that Chorine Beach needs to be added to the list. I can be used to purify water and I also use it to prevent poison ivy/oak/sumac spreading. It works better than any prescription drug I've ever tried.

Diomed · Post by **Diomed** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 2:33 am

jreinke wrote:I was thinking the other day that Chorine Beach needs to be added to the list. I can be used to purify water and I also use it to prevent poison ivy/oak/sumac spreading. It works better than any prescription drug I've ever tried.

I'd suggest getting some pool chlorine tablets and making your own as you need it. Takes up less room and the tabs don't lose potency like the liquid bleach does.

jreinke · Post by **jreinke** » Mon Jun 01, 2009 6:02 am

Diomed wrote:
jreinke wrote:I was thinking the other day that Chorine Beach needs to be added to the list. I can be used to purify water and I also use it to prevent poison ivy/oak/sumac spreading. It works better than any prescription drug I've ever tried.
I'd suggest getting some pool chlorine tablets and making your own as you need it. Takes up less room and the tabs don't lose potency like the liquid bleach does.

Never heard of that before. That's a pretty cool idea!

Diomed · Post by **Diomed** » Tue Jun 02, 2009 12:40 am

My memory was playing tricks on me. You'd want the powdered "Pool Shock"-type chlorine products, as opposed to the solid tablets. The tablets would take some organic chemistry-style futzing to work.

1903a3 · Post by **1903a3** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 8:13 am

Coffee

tea

cigarettes

vodka/tequila

Artful · Post by **Artful** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 1:35 pm

1903a3 wrote:Coffee

tea

cigarettes

vodka/tequila

Trade goods

Rum/Whiskey/Gin - Silver - gold - ammo - TP - woman stuff nylons - makeup - stuff they will think they can't live without - for the other generation batteries AA AAA 9volt - exotic batteries that are harder to find - button style or camera that work in weapons sights or lights

dcmdon · Post by **dcmdon** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 2:46 pm

fyi. CR2032 batts that some dot sights use are available at dealextreme for $12 for 20!! Amazing. Stock up.

Bulwyeth · Post by **Bulwyeth** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 9:44 pm

good stuff

Poacher · Post by **Poacher** » Wed Aug 26, 2009 10:09 pm

I know this is on the simple end compared to some more details and extensive post in this thread. anyway...

I have been re-learning some of my primitive firestarting skills and what to have with me as the basics to start a for sure fire if needed. After reading several articles saying this prepackaged thing is the greatest etc. I kept hearing people mention cotton balls with vasaline worked into them being a great firestarter. Well I had both items and a flint so I worked vasaline into one went outside and set it up into a bowl/nest configuration, second strike on the flint started a small flame that grew to consume the entire ball and gave a large flame 3 to 4 times the size of the ball and it burned for about 4 minutes. Plenty of time to even set damp tender on fire.

Much better than what I expected and the price is right, so I may do somemore tinkering but I think that will be my go to firestarting setup when needed.

Diomed · Post by **Diomed** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 1:06 am

Artful wrote:woman stuff nylons - makeup - stuff they will think they can't live without

Menstrual support products.

Plus they make good bandages!

bakerjw · Post by **bakerjw** » Thu Aug 27, 2009 6:19 am

South African police used to use tampons for people with bullet wounds. It wasn't perfect but it kept them from bleeding out until they got to a hospital.

152dbs · Post by **152dbs** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:38 am

poacher....i also heard that dryer lint works for starting fires as well, kind of like the cotton balls.

Bulwyeth · Post by **Bulwyeth** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 4:30 am

Tagged

Lindenwood · Post by **Lindenwood** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:20 am

Brian HHI 7265 wrote: I live in rural Maine, and one would normally think it'd be a prime place to be able to "live off of the land". But how long will the game hold out when everyone is counting on it to feed them?

Just for shits and giggles, I shot every red squirrel I could for the past 2 years. (It helps that I hate the bushy tailed rats!) I shot well over 100 of them over that time. For the past year I've seen none. OK, my point... when everyone is shooting red squirrels for the pot, they won't last long, and will take even longer for the population to rebound. Bigger game would be depleted faster and take longer to rebound. I'd plan on having a major cache at a safe spot.

Gah, this is what I've been saying forever! Until now, everytime I presented this idea, people scoffed at it, as if we have never hunted animals to near extinction. They always say "by that point, most everyone will be dead anyways," or "there is always plenty of game around where I live." They stock up on 5000 rounds of .308, and 2 weeks of canned food and think they will be able to survive forever on deer.

Great thread. I typically don't read equipment list threads anywhere because it is mostly people just posting all the stuff they have (and often its ridiculous). But, this one has some real valuable info.

I personally like to keep things simple and light. I won't count on always having the option of a vehicle (whether I have to ditch it because of a road block or angry mob, or because the roads out of town are all blocked), and want to be mobile enough to run from threats (at least, run faster than the people around me), but still prepared enough to survive the few-day trek to my grandparent's on foot.

dcmdon · Post by **dcmdon** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 12:30 pm

So by your logic, you would want to shoot as much stuff as quickly as you could to stock up.

This reminds me why 1000 years ago people would trade horses for salt.

We think of salt as a flavor enhancer, so its value would be pretty low. But salt is also the best way to preserve most food if you have limited access to canning equipment. Its also dead simple. Slice it thin, and layer it in salt to dry. Done.

Makes me think that having 100 lbs of salt in the basement might not be a bad idea. Its dirt cheap when purchased in bulk and will last forever.

LawBob · Post by **LawBob** » Thu Jan 07, 2010 6:20 pm

bakerjw wrote:South African police used to use tampons for people with bullet wounds. It wasn't perfect but it kept them from bleeding out until they got to a hospital.

You can get Toxic Shock from that...

elijah79 · Post by **elijah79** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 3:22 am

szemke wrote:
jreinke wrote:You should add super glue to your medical items list. It's great for gluing minor cuts. Saves on bandaids!
+1 make sure to get the GEL and not the runny stuff!!!!

I've never been able to get the gel to work as well as the runny, more liquified kind. My (future) mother-in-law loves that Second-Skin or NuSkin s--t. She put that on me and just laughed as I about flipped my lid because of how much it stung! Twisted ol' lady.

elijah79 · Post by **elijah79** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 3:41 am

no4mk1t, could you possibly tell me where to get instructions on how to make that little pepsi-can stove? I love it.

kalikraven · Post by **kalikraven** » Fri Jan 08, 2010 5:52 am

I'm interested in the stove too. For that matter the only thing that I asked for Christmas was a Cobb Premium SS camp stove. It'll run for 3 hours on 8-10 briquettes. And the cool thing about them is I can stockpile them without fear of a leak or explosion.